Finding Jane
by MoonlitRendezvous
Summary: Rate M for future chapters. Meet Jane, a hard working woman whose marriage is falling apart. Deciding to give herself a fresh start to retrieve the person she once was, she gets a new job, a new house, and perhaps even a new man all in her self journey to once again find who she really is.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So I know I need to update _Teach Me _but this story has been bugging me to be written, so I thought I'd get it out there. Just so no one is confused, Loki and Thor weren't raised as brothers in this universe. This means Loki and Jane don't know each other in the beginning. That being said, happy reading!

* * *

Finding Jane

Chapter 1

"It's been nine months," Darcy huffed out impatiently as she leaned against Jane's office door, "and you still haven't filed for a divorce." Jane inhaled sharply, her fingers hitting the keys of her computer more firmly than was necessary as her head jerked to face her temporary secretary and best friend. The dark haired woman's lips were pulled downward in a deep frown, her arms crossed defensively a crossed her chest, yet her dark eyes showed the faintest hint of concern under all her anger.

"It's complicated," she replied, licking her lips nervously as she turned back to the report she was typing up. Darcy snorted in responds, and Jane closes her eyes, releases a steady breath, and forces herself to focus on the statics and figures of her data and not the pain growing within her chest. Failure was never something Jane Odinson was particularly good at accepting, particularly where her marriage was concerned.

"He's a pig," Darcy finally snapped out. "For fucks sake, Jane, he's cheating on you every time he goes into work!"

Her teeth ground together as her insecurities whispered to her that every altercation on Thor and Sif's part was somehow partially, if not wholly, her fault. Thor Odinson was the only man she'd ever been with. She understood that she wasn't very experienced and was shy about trying new things – adventurous things – with Thor. After all, the one time she'd tried hadn't gone very well. (She'd attempted a strip tease for her husband and ended up so tangled up in her shirt that Thor had ended up on the floor from laughing instead of from desire for her as was originally planned.) Yes, she'd admit that her marriage was going through a rough patch, but Thor was adamant that it could be saved. Of course then he'd moved out, claiming some space would be good for them. Jane was the top of her field, in charge of genetic research for a major corporation; she wasn't stupid no matter how blind she wished she could make herself to certain facts. Thor was staying with his secretary/lover, Sif Fairchild, in her city apartment.

"He wants to work it out," Jane replied weakly.

"He wants to work _you,_" Darcy snapped out angrily. "Don't you realize you're worth more than him? His company's in trouble, Janie."

"What?" This was news to her, but then again, Thor dealt with failures about as well as she did.

"Remember my friend, Ian?"

"Your 'special' friend," she questioned, using air-quotes around the word 'special' before promptly turning back to her work.

"That's the one," Darcy replied, and Jane could hear the goofy grin in her voice. "Anyway, he happens to be an investment broker, and he's been telling me for the past few months that Odinson Incorporated's stocks have been decreasing in value. There're even rumors of a merger or takeover."

"Want to help me finish moving my things into the Davenport house," she asked needing to change the subject. "I've got it boxed up already, and most of it is already there, but I still have a few boxes left at the manor."

She looked up in time to see Darcy shiver and smiled. Darcy hated Odinson Manor about as much as she did. But where Darcy had found it "creepy" and "impressively depressing", Jane found it intimidating and ostentatious. It was built like a castle or fort, and had been home to several generations of Odinsons – all of which had portraits that stared down at anyone walking along any hallway in the huge gothic structure. Being a simple sort of person in terms of comforts, it had never felt like home to Jane. At the beginning of the third month after Thor had moved out, Jane had bought a small four bedroom home on Davenport Drive in her name alone (her maiden name at that), and began the tedious task of separating her belongs from his or _theirs_. Perhaps it had been a bit vindictive of her, but she'd made certain that what she'd come to refer to as the "Davenport house" had no reminders of Thor inside it at all. In fact, she'd even opened up a savings account under her maiden name of "Foster" and had actually had divorce papers drawn up as well as had documentation from a private investigator confirming Thor's many affairs on her – and there were many. She'd been angry enough to have the papers served too, but hadn't as he'd come to her office one day and sweet talked her like only he could – like he always did every time she'd had enough.

Jane sighed to herself, maybe he was using her for something.

"…but I have plans tonight," Her friend's reply just barely cut into her inner musings.

"That's fine," she smiled, glancing towards her wall clock. "Look it's almost five. Why don't you go on home? I have to proof read this report real quick and then I'll finish moving in myself."

Darcy nodded happily, but paused just outside the door. "Doesn't that need to be on the new boss's desk in like, half an hour?"

"Which is why I should start proof reading it now," she teased. "Goodnight, Darce."

* * *

By the time Jane had arrived at the Davenport house, she was exhausted. Her new boss, it seemed, was a total bitch. From her manicured nails to her six inch heels, she was completely unpleasant. And though Jane's presentation had been impressive to say the least, and her department had been granted another year of funding, it was bottom line, money mongers like Rebecca Stanhope that made her wonder why she even bothered with her job. Jane liked genetics well enough – it was a science after all – but her passion had always been the stars.

"Thor," she muttered darkly to herself as she stripped off her clothes and allowed the days stress to flow down the drain with the shower water.

Yes, her husband had been the one to push her towards her current high paying job. What good would studying the stars in one part of the world or another be when she could do something locally that was much more profitable, he'd reasoned, and because she'd loved him she'd listened. She'd still earned her PhD in astrophysics, one of the only things she'd done for herself in the ten years she'd been married to Thor Odinson.

'Maybe I could do something with that degree now? Make a new start for myself,' she thought with a tired huff as she turned off the water, dried off, and began dressing before going on to bed. "Tomorrow," she vowed to herself aloud, thankful it was the weekend, "I'm calling the lawyer…"

And so she did. It was with a deep breath and more determination than she could remember having in recent years that she arranged for the private detective to deliver copies of his finds to her attorney's office, and had her lawyer drawing up papers to be served to Thor at his office on Monday. This was all before ten in the morning, by noon she had her home tidied up and the last few boxes emptied and in the garbage can outside. After a quick lunch, she'd decided on a jog – something else she'd always enjoyed that she'd given up for Thor, but as there was a small wooded park surrounding most of the private neighborhood with various nature trails, Jane couldn't think of a reason why she shouldn't.

"Damn," she panted after ten minutes or so, "when did I get so out of shape?"

Leaning against a tree, she remembered a time when she could easily run a mile or two without getting winded. Hell, she'd been a long distance track star through high school and college and had the trophies to prove it! But now…

'Did I really let him change me so much," she questioned herself, then promptly shook it off. What was didn't matter, she told herself, quoting something her father used to say before his death. "All that matters is what is." With that she pushed off the tree and continued along the trail until it led her back home.

It was later that day when Darcy "invited" her to go clubbing with her – meaning she was dragging Jane along whether she wanted to go or not. As it so happened, Jane was in a more social mood than she usually was, having decided earlier she was going to retrieve the person she'd once been before she'd allowed herself to be changed into this weak, malleable thing that her husband walked all over. She went all out, putting large, loose curls in her sandy blond hair, and even voluntarily wore heels with her little black dress.

"Whoa," had been Darcy's intelligent reaction when she'd arrived at Jane's. The brunette had been prepared for a fight, Jane could tell, but upon actually seeing her friend, she'd grabbed Jane's hand and jerked her towards Darcy's car. "We'll actually make it to happy hour for once!"

The night was a long one, as Jane knew it would be with Darcy, and even at one in the morning her friend showed no signs of slowing down. "Two more hours, Jane," she begged.

"One," Jane countered.

"One," Darcy agreed with a smirk, "if you actually dance."

Looking around the room nervously at all the drunk bodies grinding against each other on the dance floor, Jane took a deep breath and Darcy's hand and led them both into the crush before giving into the beat. Darcy whooped with excitement as she and Jane shimmied and swayed to the beat, but was easily distracted when a guy placed his hands on Darcy's hips. Moments later, another guy did the same to Jane, but she pulled away – or at least tried to. The man reached out and held her arm tightly as he insulted her.

"Sorry," she started, attempting to placate the red headed stranger when another voice cut in.

"She's with me," it growled out dangerously, and Jane couldn't stay her eyes from snapping towards it owner. He was tall (easily six feet to her five-seven) and slender, his skin was the palest shade she'd ever seen, and his eyes – steely grey with something hypnotic about them. Currently those eyes were glaring daggers at the man who'd just now released her and stomped off. "Are you alright," his smooth baritone asked her and Jane had the oddest desire to run her fingers through his dark shoulder-length hair. Could it really be as soft as it looked?

"What," she breathed out, blinking a few times to free herself of her thoughts.

His thin lips pulled into a soft smile. "Not used to clubbing?"

"Is it that obvious," she laughed, turning towards the bar. "I need a water. You want anything," she questioned. "As a thank you?"

"Your name."

Jane smiled, the alcohol warming her blood as she turned back to face him. She couldn't remember ever seeing such blatant desire aimed at her as was in this man's eyes. She leaned in, her lips teasing his before finally kissing him with all the repressed passion she had stored up since Thor's latest affair had started. The stranger moaned, his hands reaching to pull her closer when she pulled away. "And where'd be the fun in that," she taunted softly. "Later, stranger," she called out as she went to find Darcy.

"Loki," he replied licking his lips, his eyes still not completely focused as Jane continued on her way to find her friend and go home.

'Home,' she mentally repeated to herself. 'You're still a married woman, Jane. Get home.'


	2. Chapter 2

Finding Jane

Chapter 2

The next two weeks were hectic for Jane. Thor, who'd at first been sweet and concerned towards her after receiving the devoice papers, soon turned accusatory and bitter – going so far as to claim that _she_ was cheating on _him_! He hadn't gone quietly either, and Jane had ended up tending her resignation in order to just escape his constant harassment. The idea of starting a new life after her divorce was fermenting itself within her mind to the point Jane was finding herself longing for a freedom she'd once rushed into marriage to avoid. Darcy, her best and perhaps only friend, was becoming an even stronger constant in her life. There were lonely moments were she'd visualize a different sort of life for herself, and a few fantasies that starred that stranger from the bar.

"Loki," she whispered with a faint smile, half hoping she'd one day bump into him again – only this time as a free woman. Not that she allowed herself much time for sappy sentiment, especially over a man she didn't even really know.

"Guess what," Darcy had squealed excitedly one day when Jane had joined her at the local coffee house at the usual time.

"Ian proposed?"

"No," she gasped out, but Jane was certain a small amount of disappointment had entered her eyes. "Remember Evelyn Pierce?"

"Pierce, Pierce," she repeated as she racked her brain. "Oh, the 'cheating ho' that stole your boyfriend senior year?"

"The very same. It seems she's married a dean at the state university, and they're currently looking for a new Astronomy teacher," she grinned.

Jane's head snapped up with interest. "Really? Don't play with me, Darce."

"Serious as a heart attack," she replayed. "Now, there are lots of applicants – or so Evelyn says – so I've managed to get us invited to the Academic's Ball tonight. You know, give you a chance to impress the dean's before your interview."

"You didn't," Jane gasped out. "Darcy, you're incredible. I love you!"

"Never that I'd hear that from a woman," she teased before assuring Jane she could make it up to her with lots of shopping.

"Always a catch with you," Jane sighed out as they left the café.

* * *

"I look like I stepped out of a Disney movie," Jane moaned as she touched up her makeup in one of the university bathrooms.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Darcy said, smoothing out her own overly puffy lavender gown. "What woman doesn't want to feel like a princess once in her life?"

"This one," Jane countered with a deep, tired sigh as she repositioned her peach corseted gown top over her cleavage. "This thing is actually less comfortable than the trampy tube tops you use to talk me into wearing in college." 'And the tube tops didn't have freaky silver glitter all over it,' she added silently.

Her friend laughed as she picked up her clutch bag. "But things are going good with the dean, aren't they?"

Jane's eyes sparkled with happiness then. "He's willing to let me start teaching as a temporary replacement for the time being."

"There you go. I know you'll knock their socks off, Jane, and they'll be offering you a permanent position in no time," Darcy cheered. "But for now, two more dances before we call it a night?"

Jane bit her bottom lip in thought. Her feet were killing her and her corset was tighter than she'd like, but Darcy had done so much for her lately – not to mention she'd always been a great friend. "Two dance," she conceded, "but then it's pumpkin time, Cinderella."

Darcy wasted no time finding a partner once they were back in the dance hall, while Jane made her way to the drink table.

"I'll take that name now," a deep, some-what familiar voice whispered in her left ear.

Jane turned quickly, a small gasp leaving her throat when her eyes connected with hypnotic grey ones. "Loki?"

He gave the slightest of nods. "You really do have me at a disadvantage, miss-"

"Foster," she supplied, wondering why she'd automatically given him her maiden name. "Jane Foster."

He repeated her name as if testing the way it felt on his tongue. "Care to join me for a dance, Jane?"

"Alright," she agreed hesitantly, "but only one. My friend and I are leaving soon."

"Always running away from me," he teased and she blushed lightly.

"Perhaps I have good reason," she countered softly as he took her into his arms and they began to sway slowly together.

"Oh? Like what? A boyfriend? Husband?"

Her amber eyes lifted towards his own grey ones when the last word left his lips.

"I don't see a ring," he pressed.

"We're separated," Jane answered.

"Divorcing?"

"Just filed," she whispered as he spun her before pulling her body close to his again.

"Good," he purred, stepping slightly closer to her. "Then there's no reason I shouldn't do this," he whispered heatedly, his lips lowering to crash against hers. It was as heated and heady as the last time, and Jane couldn't stop herself from moaning and leaning into him more.

"I should go," she forced herself to say when she'd finally pulled back, her voice breathless and slightly husky.

"Your husband maybe fool enough to let you go," Loki replied, his eyes heated yet determined, "but I'm not. I will see you again, Jane Foster."

Jane swallowed, looking around to see if anyone had noticed their slight altercation (they hadn't), and turned to find Darcy.


	3. Chapter 3

Finding Jane

Chapter 3

The next month found Jane deeply enjoying her moments of solitude between helping Darcy redecorate her first house (which she'd bought with Ian Complain, who was now officially her boyfriend and roommate) and meetings with Thor and their respective attorneys. She was quite proud that, after four weeks, she could run half the trail – a full mile and a half – before becoming winded. And although her scale claimed she hadn't actually lost any weight, she had noticed a difference in the way her clothing fit her. Jane had also noticed that since filing for divorce, she tended to feel more enjoyment with her life (outside meetings with Thor of course), though she still felt strange questioning what she wanted to do or eat and realizing her opinion was the only one there. No more settling because her spouse refused to compromise, no more forcing a smile through an event she couldn't care less about because it made someone else look good. The freedom of it all was a bit heady and over powering at first, but she adjusted well.

At the beginning of the fifth week after the Academic Ball, Jane began teaching her first classes, which so far consisted of two pre-course classes entitled "An Introduction to the Stars", two Astronomy I classes, and one Astronomy II class. The University Council had agreed only to her teaching for the first semester, though Jane found everything straight forward enough and honestly didn't foresee having the slightest bit of a problem. One colleague, Sigyn Laufeyson, happily chatted to Jane as she showed her around the science building and eventually led her to her room.

"Your office is through that door," she said, pointing towards the second door a crossed from the one they'd entered, located on the other end of the room. "You'll need to post your free hours on your syllabus so students will know how to reach you."

The strawberry blond had smiled gently at Jane's worried face. "Don't worry, a basic college outline for your syllabus is already on your office computer," she reassured. "You just need to put in your particulars and update any recent changes."

Jane had indeed sighed in relief upon hearing that, but still graciously declined Sigyn's offer to join her for lunch later. "There's so much to do here," she said with a weak smile. "Another time?"

"I'll hold you to it," was the woman's responds, her light blue eyes twinkling in such a way that worried Jane. It suggested, perhaps, some underline mischievousness to her supposed politeness, or maybe Jane's failure of a marriage had simply left her paranoid and jaded. She wasn't sure which, but hardly thought it matter. Not when the end result was the same. Jane was going to do her best to stay away from Sigyn Laufeyson.

Not that she had much time to contemplate the woman at any length. As it was, Jane had just barely finished preparing for her first classes when the students had begun filtering in. From her first introduction until her last class that day, Jane had loved every minute of her new job – no matter how temporary it was at the moment. By weeks' end, she could clearly point out which students were truly passionate from those that merely floated along. She tried to challenge her charges without over taxing them, something many of them liked about her. In fact, much to her chagrin, she'd noticed more than a few eyes gazing back at her during lectures with a lovelorn gleam.

Nearly a month into her teaching, Jane was mortified when Darcy had come to collect her for lunch and overheard a few males discussing – of all things! – the "fineness" of her derrière.

"I'd tap that," a dark male had said with a shrug as they'd walked by.

"Damn," his lighter counterpart had hissed out with a whistle as Jane and Darcy continued to walk by (albeit a little faster and with a redder face – at least in Jane's case), "I'd tap it and smack it!"

"Oh my God," Darcy giggled like a high schooler when they'd made it out of the building, "aren't you Miss Popular!"

"Shut up," Jane had hissed back, glancing around worriedly as they made their way to her car, finding no humor in the situation whatsoever. It had taken awhile, but Jane had eventually gotten Darcy to cease mentioning the event altogether to enjoy their lunch. Okay, so all she'd actually had to do was ask about color patterns for the living room (apparently Jane was painting this weekend – fun).

* * *

Two months into her semester, and Jane's attorney (as well as Thor's) had agreed their clients should meet before a judge to settle their divorce. Jane didn't know what Thor's problem was, as all she'd asked for was what she'd come into the marriage with, as well as anything currently in her name alone. She didn't ask for alimony, or to split their mutually acquired possessions, or anything else that would cause the process to be unnecessarily prolonged. 'Yet Thor still managed to do exactly that for three months now,' she thought bitterly.

"Goodness, Jane," a voice called from her classroom doorway, "what caused that look on your face?"

Sighing deeply, she turned away from the last few essays she was grading to look at quite possibly the most stubborn woman she'd ever met – outside of Darcy, and perhaps herself. It seemed no matter how hard she'd tried to avoid or outright ignore Sigyn Laufeyson, the woman grew that much more determined to be her friend, and a good one at that. "Nothing," she replied, but her voice sounded tired and stranded even to her own ears.

"I know college kids tend to be boneheads half the time, but surely the papers aren't _that_ bad," the strawberry blond teased as she walked further into the room.

"What? Oh, no," Jane answered shaking the confusion from her mind as she rose from her seat and stretched quickly before hurriedly gathering her papers from the desk and packing them away in her briefcase. "Actually, I think I blanked out for a minute there."

"Life troubles?"

"That's putting it mildly," she quipped grimly as she moved to put her hip-length red leather jacket on. It was Jane's favorite (and Thor's least favorite) because it had been her mother's (because she didn't look "ladylike" while wearing it), and she greatly enjoyed wearing it again as often as she saw fit to. Grabbing her briefcase, she turned to see Sigyn looking her over thoughtfully.

"Why don't you like me," she asked after what had felt like a very long time to Jane. "I've tried to be friendly and helpful, went out of my way a few times even. It's like I'm running into a brick wall with you, Jane. Why?"

"It's not you," was her outward reply, while inside all she could think was 'fuck'. "I'm just going through some things right now. I…" She sighed wondering how she could spare the fairer girl's feelings without divulging too much information. "I have trust issues," is what she settled for, not prepared for Sigyn's "why?"

Jane froze for a moment, her life – her marriage to Thor – flashing through her mind. "I had lots of friends once," she whispered, "and now… Now I only trust Darcy with everything. I'm sorry, Sigyn, I'm sure you're a great friend but –"

"That's not good enough," she snapped, her fiery gold hair swaying as she turned away from Jane. "I want to know why, Jane. Tell me," she demanded.

"I…" she stuttered trying to think of some way out of this. "I'm getting divorced," Jane finally admitted, "and my future ex is making it as hard as possible to leave him."

"Ok," Sigyn nodded, taking that in. "So, why no new friends?"

"I haven't had anyone but Darcy since I left high school," she admitted. "I found out girls were only hanging around me to get to my then boyfriend –"

"And he actually slept with them," she asked in disgust.

Jane nodded. "When I found out he promised it'd never happen again and asked me to marry him."

"And did it happen again," the blond pressed.

Jane sneered and looked away. "Thor was never good at keeping promises."

"Fucker," Sigyn muttered, which actually caused Jane to smile. "Look, I don't want your husband, alright? I'm spoken for actually," she grinned, flashing Jane the simple engagement right that was on her left hand. "It's Friday night, why don't you text Darcy and see if she can join us at a club a few blocks from here? We could make it a real lady's night," she smiled with a mischievous gleam in her pale eyes. "And then if you still don't like me, I'll leave you alone. Deal?"

As much as Jane had tried not to like Sigyn, it wasn't long before she was not alone a tag along for her and Darcy's girl's nights, but also a regular part of Jane's everyday life. Within a month, it was as if she'd known Sigyn forever, and so Jane found it only natural that (given the fact she couldn't get a hold of Darcy) she tell the fiery blond when her divorce was officially finalized.

"Can you believe it," she gushed happily. "After four months of stalling, I'm officially a free woman!"

Sigyn had hugged her then, and Jane had felt so giddy and girly, it was almost ridiculous for a woman of her age. Then her friend had pulled back, an evil grin on her face, "does this mean we have a reason to celebrate on a school night?"

Jane had laughed at that and nodded emphatically. "Most definitely."

* * *

A/N: So recap, Jane has a new friend and is divorced now. Loki will make an appearance next chapter, and I'm playing with having a Loki POV chapter if I can working it in there.


	4. Chapter 4

Finding Jane

Chapter 4

The night had been crazy, ending with everyone being too drunk to drive. Jane, far from sober but still seeing reason, called them a cab. Darcy's stop was first, but somewhere between there and Jane's apartment, Sigyn had convinced her it would be a good idea to stay the night with her instead of her lonely little flat.

"Alright," Jane agreed, laughing a bit more loudly than Thor would have liked.

"Thank you," Sigyn stage-whispered after the cab had pulled away, "the way he kept staring at my tits in the mirror was giving me the creeps." The girls both laughed as they continued up the paved driveway to a house only slightly smaller than Asgard.

"My ex would love this place," Jane muttered under her breath, but the strawberry blond heard and snickered anyway.

"Come on, Janie, but you've got to be quiet," Sigyn whispered. "Mother's already in bed and I'd hate to wake her." Once inside, the blond offered Jane an old high school jersey and a towel. "You smell like a bar," she giggled. "There are extra toothbrushes in the left-hand sink drawer," she said as she pushed Jane into the bathroom right across the hall from her room. "I'll grab us some aspirin and water… maybe a snack. Do you want crab rangoon right now, or is it just me?"

Jane smiled, remembering quickly how her colleague and Darcy had stepped into the alley briefly at the club with a rather rough looking man. "Did you seriously pass it around with a stranger?"

"Why not," she questioned with a shrug. "Darcy was there, and I needed to take the edge off. Do you want some food or not, Ms. Goody-goody?"

Jane scoffed at the name, remembering a time in her youth where it had been hurled as an insult. "Sure," she agreed. "Can't have you eating your mother out of house and home, can we."

She hurried along, taking a quick shower and brushing her teeth as Sigyn had suggested. Slipping her panties back on and pulling the jersey over her head, Jane gathered her other soiled clothes and walked towards where she recalled the kitchen being. "Is it okay if I throw these in the wash?"

"And miss out on a walk of shame," the fiery blond chuckled. "Sure, it's through the side door."

Jane stumbled along, more sober minded after her shower, and quickly started the washer before returning to the kitchen. "I'm going to take my shower now. Food's in the oven, take it out when the timer goes off?"

She nodded as her friend run upstairs. Jane glanced at the oven's timer to see it counting down from ten. Her eyes closed for a minute as she once again processed that she was single. Stress lifted from her shoulders and she breathed deeply. She was probably going to have to show a documentary or something for her classes tomorrow as she was just so tired, but she felt good about herself, about her life. She –

"Jane?"

It was a faint whisper, but it was enough for her to open her eyes and gaze questioningly at the shirtless man standing in front of her in just a pair of black lounge pants. "Loki?"

She wondered briefly if she were dreaming, why else would he be here? Her lips pulled into a grin as she looked him over. His messy black hair, his tired confused stare… He appeared to have just stumbled out of bed…into Sigyn's kitchen? _It must be a dream._

Knowing she didn't have much time before the oven timer roused her, Jane stepped towards him with firm movements. He swallowed, his eyes still questioning her presence, though his mouth opened willingly enough once their lips touched. The next few moments were a blur of passion and fire, and found Jane being lifted off her feet, Loki's hands slipping under the jersey to caress and squeeze her nearly bare bottom. Jane moan, locking her legs around his waist and grinding against his notable bulge.

"I have to stop dreaming about you like this," he muttered as he set her down on the island's countertop, his nose skipping up her neck as he breathed her in. "You're driving me mad."

"What do you mean?" Jane's voice was breathy and uneven, but she fought to speak her mind just the same, even as his lips drew her earlobe into his mouth. "I'm the one dreaming."

Loki leaned back enough so that his lust darkened eyes locked with her own, his mouth opening – most likely to protest – but fell silent as a shrill beeping noise filled the air. He blinked a few times as he backed up a little to turn off the timer and oven before getting a mitt to remove the food and set the pan onto the stove. Loki licked his lips as he set the over mitt beside the stove as well, his eyes turning to take in Jane who hadn't moved from her place on the countertop, his mouth opening to whisper the words that were pounding inside her head.

"You're really here?"

He moved closer to her again, slowly as if fearing she'd bolt like a frightened animal, his hand reached out to touch her face. Jane moaned a bit at the feel of him, her eyelids fluttering shut as her drunken mind tried to process all that was happening. "You're actually sitting here, in my old school jersey," she heard him say, causing her eyes to open. She wondered at the heated look in his icy eyes, but merely offered a soft, "apparently," to his words.

"You said," he pushed, forcing himself to breathe, "you said you were dreaming. Why did you think that?" A crooked smirk graced his face. "Do you often dream of me, Jane?"

Jane was uncertain as to what to do, but felt a sudden boldness fill her as she barely registered the soft foot falls of Sigyn's return. Jane scouted forward until she slip off the countertop, her body pressing against Loki's body and sliding down it until she was firmly on her feet. She could feel his pronounce erection through his cotton pants, and forced her eyes to lock with his own. "Wouldn't you like to know," she whisper sassily as she brushed passed him towards the stove. She felt Loki reach out for her, and her treacherous body ached for him to touch her again – it had been so long, years, since a man had touched her after all. Sigyn entered the room before his hand grabbed her, and she knew he'd pulled away.

"Loki," the blond question.

"Just getting a drink. You know how hard it is for me to sleep after mother's had one of her fits," he explained, his voice full of warmness.

"Was it bad this time?"

Jane turned to face them in time to see Loki shrug. "About the same really, but her health is declining."

Jane bit her lip nervously, feeling suddenly out of place. "Foods ready," she said, clearing her throat. "I'm…um…I'm actually feeling tired, so I'll head up to bed and leave you to your family business." Forcing an awkward smile, she excused herself.

Laying down in Sigyn's bed that night, Jane found it hard to sleep. Her mind was busy and buzzing, and… honestly she was incredibly turned on from her little run in with Loki. He'd referred to Sigyn's mom and 'mother'… _Great, I'm attracted to my new friend's brother. Way to go, Jane._ With a heavy sigh, she forced her eyes closed and named constellations in her mind until she finally fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Finding Jane

Chapter 5

Jane awoke the next morning feeling more exhausted than she was the night before.

_Note to self: Don't celebrate the night before going into work._

Squeezing her eyes together tightly for a few seconds, Jane silently gathered her bearings. She was in Sigyn's room, her clothes were in the washer (_Please let someone have put them in the dryer for me!_), and there should be an aspirin container and a bottle of water for her on the side table next to her. Her lashes fluttered as her eyes adjusted to the light and she slowly sat up in bed. Turning so her feet were dangling off the side, she dumped out two aspirin tablets and swallowed them down with a large gulp of water before quietly creeping towards the bathroom. After using the facilities and brushing her teeth, Jane opted to take another quick hot shower before heading towards the kitchen.

The trip was a bit more awkward in the light of day – or perhaps it was the slight pounding of her hang over. A soft smile curved her lips regardless at the sight of her clean, dry clothes neatly folded on top of the dryer. Slipping on her socks and pants was simple enough, but Jane found herself slightly hesitant at removing Loki's jersey, so she settled for slipping her bra on under it. Taking her shirt with her, Jane went about making a pot of coffee, and crept back upstairs to Sigyn's room while it peculated.

She couldn't help but grin at the sight of Sigyn's normally perfect hair hanging every which direction, covers twisted oddly around her body. Shaking her head, Jane set about quietly getting her boots on and gathering her purse (which she shoved her shirt into) and her jacket and heading downstairs. She was glad the coffee was ready when she reentered the kitchen, and instantly grabbed a cup and drank it black. Her eyes couldn't help but drift towards the island countertop.

"So it did actually happen."

"Fuck," Jane gasped out, jumping from fright and sloshing a little coffee onto her hand. Placing her mug down and shaking the liquid from her injured hand, her eyes sought out the source of the sound – Loki. "What actually happened?"

"You and me," he purred as he walked closer to her, "last night."

"I was drunk."

"And I was half a sleep," he quipped. "Didn't keep me from ravaging you."

"I recall doing the ravaging, actually," she sassed. "And Sigyn seemed to have stopped you well enough."

He smirked and stepped towards her. "True, I didn't think she'd appreciate the sight of our embrace near as much as I enjoyed participating in it. So," he asked, his eyes looking her over heatedly, "are you wearing me to work today?"

"Wearing you..? Oh," she laughed lightly as she glanced down towards the jersey. "Yeah, if you don't mind."

"Why would I," he responded, and Jane could have sworn his chest puffed out ever so slightly.

"I figured no one would noticed I'm wearing the same outfit if the shirt's different," she explained, dumping the rest of her coffee out and setting the mug in the sink before stepping away from Loki's slowly advancing form. "I should call a cab. God only knows when Sigyn will get up."

"Don't be silly," he teased lightly, pulling some keys from his pocket. "I'll give you a ride, Foster. Unless you're scared to be alone with me." He smirked then, and Jane found it irritating and arousing in the same breath.

"Get over yourself, Laufeyson," she scoffed, picking up her purse and quickly following him to his car.

* * *

The car ride had been comfortable, and yet charged with something so intense, Jane found herself disappointed when it ended.

"I'm assuming your car is here, or do you need me to pick you up later," Loki asked, his eyes looking straight out the windshield in an effort to not look at her.

"It's nearby," she answered, her eyes looking him over curiously. "I'll be fine, thank you, Loki."

She got out of the car, adjusted her purse strap and was just about to close the door when he called out to her. "And Jane," she turned, bending at the waist to look inside the car, "you really do looking fetching with my name all over you."

Jane blushed. Uncertain as to what to really say, she said nothing , shut the car door, and headed inside to prepare for her first class. It was at lunch time, after she found out that Sigyn had called in that day, that Jane called a cab and collected her car from the bar's parking lot. She'd even picked up some quick, greasy drive-thru on the way back to campus (something Thor would never let her do) so that she could eat and grade papers until her next class. Of course, thoughts of Loki would filter through her mind almost constantly, but she told herself she wasn't dating anyone – no matter how much they liked her – just yet. She needed to rediscover herself, be her own woman first. But was there any reason that couldn't include what Jane was certain would be mind blowing sex?

Loki wasn't just some random hottie, she scolded herself. He was her friend's brother, and… Weren't there rules against that or something? Darcy was always going off about some "girl code" that even in high school had eluded Jane. Maybe she should talk to Darcy? No, as much as Jane loved her, she'd tease her mercilessly over this. And Sigyn was obviously out. She heaved a heavy and pushed onward with her day, deciding the best thing for her to do was to avoid being alone with Loki for the time being.

* * *

A/N: Next chapter will skip a head a little bit, as I doubt any of you really want to read the several months she actually does manage to avoid being alone with him. Nope, we're going to jump ahead to when Loki calls her on her behavior, which I'm sure is a much more entertaining read.


End file.
